Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Polr VS Redirect Detective

Compare Polr VS Redirect Detective and see what are their differences

Polr logo Polr

An open source URL shortener. A great non-profit and free alternative to bit.ly, TinyURL, or goo.gl.

Redirect Detective logo Redirect Detective

Short-URL unshortener
  • Polr Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-26
  • Redirect Detective Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-25

Polr features and specs

  • Open Source
    Polr is an open-source project, meaning the source code is publicly accessible and can be modified to fit individual needs.
  • Customizability
    Being open-source, Polr offers extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor the service according to specific requirements.
  • Self-Hosted
    Polr can be self-hosted, which provides users with complete control over their data and how the service is run.
  • Advanced Features
    Includes features like URL analytics, API access, and integration capabilities that can support advanced use cases.
  • Cost-Effective
    As a free open-source solution, Polr can be more cost-effective compared to proprietary URL shortening services.
  • Privacy
    Self-hosting ensures that user data remains private and secure, with no reliance on third-party services.

Possible disadvantages of Polr

  • Technical Expertise Required
    Setting up and maintaining Polr requires a certain level of technical skill, including knowledge of web servers, databases, and PHP.
  • Maintenance
    Since Polr is self-hosted, users are responsible for maintaining the server, applying updates, and ensuring security.
  • Initial Setup
    The initial setup can be time-consuming and may involve complex configurations, especially for users without technical backgrounds.
  • Limited Support
    Being an open-source project, Polr may have limited official support, relying on community forums and documentation for troubleshooting.
  • Resource Intensive
    Self-hosting requires server resources, including hardware and hosting costs, which might be an issue for small-scale users.

Redirect Detective features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Redirect Detective has a straightforward user interface that makes it simple for users to trace URL redirects without needing technical expertise.
  • Free Access
    The tool is accessible for free, allowing users to check URL redirects without any cost.
  • Quick Results
    Redirect Detective provides fast results, allowing users to quickly understand the redirect paths of given URLs.
  • Multiple Redirects Analysis
    It can handle and track multiple types of redirects, offering detailed information about each step in the redirect chain.
  • No Software Installation
    As a web-based tool, it doesn't require any software installation, which enhances user convenience.

Possible disadvantages of Redirect Detective

  • Basic Functionality
    Redirect Detective primarily offers a straightforward redirect trace and lacks advanced features available in more comprehensive SEO tools.
  • Limited Data
    The tool provides limited data and insights compared to more robust analytics solutions, which may not be sufficient for in-depth analysis.
  • Ad-Supported
    The website may have advertisements which can be distracting and affect user experience.
  • No Historical Data
    It does not offer historical redirect data, limiting the ability to track changes over time.

Analysis of Polr

Overall verdict

  • Polr is a good choice for individuals and organizations looking for a flexible and open-source URL shortener solution. Its ability to be self-hosted ensures data privacy and autonomy over the management of shortened URLs.

Why this product is good

  • Polr is an open-source URL shortener that offers a minimalist interface, robust features, and self-hosting capabilities, making it ideal for users who prioritize privacy and customization. It supports analytics for performance tracking and allows users to manage custom domains, offering flexibility and control over short links.

Recommended for

    Polr is recommended for developers, tech-savvy users, small businesses, and privacy-conscious individuals who need a customizable URL shortening service with the ability to host their own instance and have control over their data and URLs.

Polr videos

No Polr videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Redirect Detective videos

Redirect Detective - URL Redirection Checker

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Polr and Redirect Detective)
Link Management
91 91%
9% 9
URL Shortener
84 84%
16% 16
Privacy
0 0%
100% 100
Branded URLs
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Polr and Redirect Detective. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Polr and Redirect Detective

Polr Reviews

10 Excellent Google URL Shortener Alternatives
Since Polr is open-source, it is entirely free to use and self-host. However, you will need some technical knowledge to set up and maintain your own URL shortener using Polr. Alternatively, you can opt for their hosting service, which requires custom pricing.
Source: bitly.com
11 Best Bitly Alternatives & Similar URL Shorteners
More than anything, Polr is free and an excellent choice for those who master technical knowledge. Before committing to this platform, you can check out its robust demo page. Once you create an account, you can manage and monitor each link you have made effortlessly.
The 8 Best Alternatives to Google URL Shortener
Polr is an open-source project that allows people with the technical know-how to host their own URL shortener. It's available through the Polr project page and from GitHub. You can use the tool as-is or fork it if you have the programming abilities to do so. (If you're so inclined, it's written in PHP and Lumen, using MySQL as its primary database.) Though similar to Yourls,...
Source: zapier.com
The 5 Best Alternatives to Google URL Shortener
Polr is an open-source project that allows people with the technical know-how to host their own URL shortener. It's available through the Polr project page and from GitHub. You can use the tool as-is or fork it if you have the programming abilities to do so. (If you're so inclined, it's written in PHP and Lumen, using MySQL as its primary database.) Though similar to Yourls,...
Source: zapier.com

Redirect Detective Reviews

We have no reviews of Redirect Detective yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Redirect Detective should be more popular than Polr. It has been mentiond 10 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Polr mentions (2)

  • Copying microsofts aka.ms links with our internal Dns to help stop phishing
    That said, setting up a URL shortener to forward HTTP requests it pretty trivial. There are open source projects that already exist for this purpose. For example, https://polrproject.org/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Angular Project Ideas For Beginners 2022
    This is one of the trending angular project for beginners. In this application, the main feature will be the input for the link you’d like to shorten and the result’s output space. You can check the Polr for example. It is an open-source web application written in PHP and powered by Lumen. It uses MySQL as the primary database and provides a robust interface to manage your links. You can host it on your domain to... - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago

Redirect Detective mentions (10)

  • URL Redirects are all Going to Homepage! 😬
    You can test the redirects by using this https://redirectdetective.com/. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Invalid song URL issue
    Spotify changed their link format for a subset of users yesterday. If you're trying to submit a song link that looks like https://spotify.link/...., then you are one of those users. This new format is now supported on the web app at https://app.musicleague.com. It takes a bit to get an update out to the app stores, so anyone getting this new link format will need to use the web app to submit songs for the time... Source: over 2 years ago
  • better way to see email header info (sender info) and embedded email hyperlinks on mobile devices?
    Https://redirectdetective.com/ - helps to see the path of an email link and where it may go (warning - do not paste personalized urls to you that might identify you or be a personal service to you - like verification of something you subscribed to, shopping services you actually use, etc; only use suspicious links here to analyze where it my redirect to). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Site Analyzing Tools
    Https://redirectdetective.com/ -- If someone gives you a sketchy link on discord or you find one you can see where it redirects you. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • [US] Newsletter Quiz - We’re serving up a quiz on tennis. Think you can ace it? [06-15-2022]
    Please use wheregoes.com or redirectdetective.com to remove any tracking. Here are the "clean" links:. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Polr and Redirect Detective, you can also consider the following products

Bitly - Get the most out of your social and online marketing efforts. Own, understand and activate your best audience through the power of the link with Bitly Enterprise.

unshorten.me Free URL Un-Shortener - Unshorten.me is a free service to Un-Shorten the URLs created by URL shortening services.

YOURLS - YOURLS is a website that contains all the tools you need to create and launch your very own URL shortener. URL shorteners like bitly or TinyURL are fine for public use, but they offer limited options in terms of URL customization.

CheckShortURL - Check the real URLs before you visit | CheckShortURL reveals the destination of shortened URLs.

TinyURL - Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to...

Unshorten.It! - URL unshortener and previewer.